Automatic gas-controller.



S. G. G. BROOKMAN.

AUTOMATIC GAS CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION men APR. 7. 1915.

1,227,879., Patented May 29, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- S G. G-BROOKMAN- AUTOMATIC GAS CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED'APR. 7, l9l5.

LQQ7, 79a Patented May 29, 1917.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UTTE TATE PATENT @FETQE.

SYDNEY GEORGE GARDINER'BROOKMAN, OF BRISTOL, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC GAS-CONTROLLER.

Application filed April 7, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SYDNEY GEORGE GAR- DINER BnooKMAN, a subject of His Majesty the King of England, residing at Bristol, in the county of Gloucester, Kingdom of England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Gas- Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus for fixing to, or for use in connection with urns, boilers, or similar gas heated vessels, with the object of automatically economizing gas, on the water or liquid contained in the said urn, boiler, or similar vessel reaching boiling point, and without the aid of valves or other mechanical working parts.

To enable the present invention to be fully understood, it is hereinafter described by reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a section of the improved device;

Fi 2 is a plan thereof; and

Fig. 8 is an elevation of an ordinary urn, indicating a method by which the device may be applied thereto.

The device according to this invention can be constructed of copper, brass, iron, or any hard metal, and consists of a small inner cylinder 0 of suitable diameter. The top 6 of this cylinder is drilled and fitted with two tubes 0 and (Z of suitable length and diameter as shown. With the exception of these tubes the cylinder a has no other out let or inlet. One of these tubes d is arranged for'gas supply and the other 0 for regulating and setting the device. In the case of the tube (Z for the gas supply a second or inner tube 6 is fitted inside the tube (Z having a space between its outer surface and the inner surface of the tube cl.

The tube e is fixed with a gas tight joint f to the top end of the tube cl by means of a T piece as shown, and it extends down to a short distance below the bottom end of the outer tube (Z and into the cylinder a. A taper slot 9 is cut in one side ofthe inner tube 12 being widest at its lower end and tapering to nothing at its upper end. The cylinder a is filled with mercury m up to and covering the lowest ends of the tubes 0 and (Z. The second tube 0 contains a solid plunger h that can be screwed up or down for the purpose of raising or lowering the mercury in the combined gas tubes 6 and 03.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 29, 1917.

Serial No. 19,767.

The tube 0 is covered with a cap '5 after adjustment.

A gas main or supply pipe t is connected to the upper end of the inner tube 6 for conducting gas to the tube 6, and the gas is discharged through the taper slot 9 at the lower terminal of the tube 6, to the outer tube d which is fitted with a suitable T piece This T piece 7' is connected to the gas burner of the urn or boiler 0 by suitable piping 7). The inner cylinder (0 containing the mercury a0 is surrounded by a closed outer cylinder k which acts as a steam jacket. A pipe Z is fitted from the bottom of this acket for the purpose of connecting by means of a pipe 9 to the top of the boiler or urn 0 to act as a combined steam outlet and as an inlet for cold liquid. A second pipe m is fitted to the upper part of the external cylinder or steam acket 7c and provided with a suitable bell mouth or other inlet 7 for Water or other liquid to be introduced to the boiler or urn. It is essential that the boiler or urn 0 should be sufliciently steam tight to force the steam, when boiling takes place through the outer cylinder or steam jacket 70 via the tube Z from the top of the boiler to the bell mouth 1" or other inlet pipe on which must be so fixed to be quite free and without dips and above the highest water level so that the steam can freely escape.

It is important that all the joints in connection with the inner cylinder (0 be made perfectly tight to prevent leakage of the mercury, either by screwed threads, brazing, or other hard methods. Soft solder must not be used in any part of the inner cylinder at or the connections to it, that may come in contact with the mercury w.

A suitable full-way cock 8 should be fixed at a convenient position on the gas main If before it reaches the apparatus.

The cover or top Z) is provided with two annular flanges 2 and 3, which are screwthreaded on their inner surfaces. The inner flange 2 is connected to and supports the internal cylinder a, and the outer flange 3 is connected to the outer cylinder 70.

The method of setting or adjusting the invention is as follows Completely fill the inner cylinder at with mercury at a normal temperature so that the mercury stands up the tubes 0 and cl and above the inner top surface of the inner cylinder at. This can be done either through the tube 0 by removing the plunger h or by removing the tube 0 and replacing same after filling.

Next turn on and light the gas at the burner, allowing the liquid or water in the urn or vessel to reach boiling point which will be indicated by the steam issuing freely from the inlet via the apparatus and pipe m. Allow the steam to pass freely for approximately ten minutes after boiling point has been reached to fully expand the mercury 00 in the inner cylinder a. Then gradually screw down the plunger 72, until the flame at the burner is as low as required. After adjustment the cap 2' should be firmly screwed into position to prevent alteration of adjustment. By the foregoing means the flame at the burner can be so adjusted that it will give a permanent minimum flame of any degree required to maintain the liquid at either fast or slow boiling.

The action is as follows:

When the liquid in the boiler or urn reaches boiling point the escaping steam passes into the cylinder or steam jacket 7c, Figs. 1 and 2, and raises the temperature of the inner cylinder at causing the mercury 00 to expand and rise in the gas tubes d and e, and gradually cover the taper slot 5 in the inner tube 6 to govern the supply of gas passing into the outer tube (Z and thence to the burner through the T piece The reduction of gas goes on until the flame at the burner is insuflicient to keep steam passing through the steam jacket is and consequently the temperature of the inner cylinder at being lowered the mercury w contracts and drops in the tubes 6 and cl and allows more or less gas to pass through the slot 9 according to the variation of temperature in the inner cylinder at.

The introduction of cold or cool liquid through the bell mouth or inlet pipe 'm acts on the inner cylinder a causing quick contraction of the mercury a; sufficient to allow a full supply of gas to pass the slot 9 and thence to the burner.

As vdistinguished from previously known regulating devices that of the present invention is designed to be fixed above the water line of the boiler or urn and not to have any of its parts immersed in the contents of the said boiler, and it relies on the generation of steam to expand the mercury seal; therefore the gas supply is unaffected by the gradual intermediate rise of the temperature of the contents of the boiler, from normal up to boiling degree, and the gas supply continues to give a full power flame at the burner, until the contents of the boiler or urn has fully reached boiling point and is generating steam, before there can be any automatic reduction of the gas. supply.

The apparatus also automatically indicates bythe reduced flame at the burner when the water or liquid in the boiler has reached boiling point.

It is not necessarily essential that the apparatus be directly and closely connected to the boiler or urn, but it may be fixed at any suitable position away from it provided it is properly connected to the top of the boiler from the tube Z and to the burner from the T piece 7'.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination with a steam boiler and gas-fed heating means therefor, of a controller for the gas fed to the heating means, comprising a valve for the gas, thermostatic opera-ting means for the valve, and piping leading from the steam side of the boiler above the normal water line of the latter and freely open at all times to the atmosphere, said piping being also at all times in operative relation to the thermostatic valve operating means, whereby the thermostat becomes active to cut down the gas fed to the heating means as soon as steam is generated in the boiler and solely by such generated steam.

2. The combination with a steam boiler and gas-fed heating means therefor, of a controller for the gas fed to the heating means, comprising a valve for the gas, thermostatic operating means for the valve, a chamber inclosing the thermostatic means, and piping leading to and from the chamber, the piping leading to the chamber being connected to the boiler on the steam side of the latter at a point above the normal water line of the boiler and the piping leading from the chamber being freely open to the atmosphere, whereby when and only when steam is generated in the boiler will the thermostat become active to cut down the fuel supply.

V 3. A means for maintaining a supply of water at or slightly above the boiling point, comprising a steam boiler in constant free communication with the atmosphere and provided with a burner adapted to operate with fluid fuel, a valve for controlling the flow of fuel to the burner, thermostatic means for controlling the valve, and means for causing a flow of steam from the steam space of the boiler into operative relation to the thermostatic means as soon as the steam is generated, whereby the full effect of the heating medium may be had upon the water in the boiler until the steaming point is reached to cause rapid heating of the water to the steaming point, and the fuel supply is then cut down to thereafter maintain the water at or slightly above the boil- .ing point.

4:. The combination with a steam boiler and a burner adapted to operate with fluid fuel, of a valve for controlling the flow of fluid fuel to the burner, a receptacle for mercury in operative relation to the valve for the actuation of the valve in accordance with the expansion and contraction of mercury in the receptacle, a chamber in operative relation to the mercury receptacle, a duct leading from the boiler on the steam side of the latter and at all times above the normal water level in the boiler and connected to the chamber in operative relation to the mercury receptacle, and an outlet from said chamber freely open to the atmosphere, whereby the mercury is affected only when steam is generated in the boiler to cut down the flow of fuel as soon as the steam is generated to thereby maintain the water at or slightly above the boiling point.

5. The combination with a steam boiler and a burner adapted to operate with fluid fuel, of controlling means for the fuel comprising a receptacle for mercury, a duct for the fuel associated with the mercury receptacle for controlling the efl'ective area of the duct by the expansion and contraction of the mercury, a steam chamber inclosing the mercury receptacle, a duct connecting the steam chamber to the steam side of the boiler at a higher point than the normal water level of the boiler, an escape duct for steam leading from the steam chamber and freely open to the atmosphere at all times, and accessible means communicating with the mercury receptacle and adjustable to vary the relation of the mercury in the receptacle to the fuel duct, whereby the amount of heat required to establish a minimum flame at the burner may be predetermined to establish either fast or slow boiling within the boiler.

6. In a steam boiler utilizing fluid fuel for generating steam, controlling means for the fuel comprising a receptacle for mercury, a duct for the fuel associated with the mercury receptacle for controlling the effective area of the duct by the expansion and contraction of the mercury, a steam chamher in operative relation to the mercury receptacle with means for connecting the steam chamber to the steam side of the boiler, and means for the escape of steam from the chamber, whereby the mercury is responsive solely to the temperature of the steam and is unresponsive in the absence of steam, the mercury receptacle being provided with means for establishing its initial relation to the fuel duct to precletermine the temperature at which the mercury becomes effective to control the flow of fuel, and the outlet for steam having a funnel termination open to the atmosphere for the escape of steam and for the introduction of water into the steam chamber at will.

7 An automatic gas controller for reducing and regulating the gas supply to the burner of a gas-heated boiler or urn when the boiler is generating steam, comprising a casing, a chamber within the casing for containing mercury, a pair of concentrically arranged tubes carried by the casing and opening into the mercury receptacle with the inner tube having a tapered slot and said tubes being provided with means for connecting one to a gas supply and the other to the gas burner, means for connecting the portion of the casing surrounding the mercury receptacle to the steam side of the boiler, and means for the escape to the atmosphere of the steam entering the casing from the boiler.

8. An automatic gas controller for reducing and regulating the gas supply to the burner of a gas-heated boiler or urn when the boiler is generating steam, comprising a casing, a chamber within the casing for containing mercury, a pair of concentrically arranged tubes carried by the casing and opening into the mercury receptacle with the inner tube having a tapered slot, and said tubes being provided with means for connecting one to a gas supply and the other to the gas burner, means for connecting the portion of the casing surrounding the mercury receptacle to the steam side of the boiler, and means for the escape to the atmosphere of the steam entering the casing from the boiler, the casing being also provided with adjustable displacement means entering the mercury receptacle for regulating the relation of the mercury to the slotted one of the tubes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

SYDNEY GEORGE GARDINER BROOKMAN.

Witnesses J. C. WITHERS,

FRANK BLAKEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

